Lake County Planning Commission approves proposed marijuana ordinance

LAKE COUNTY -- The Lake County Planning Commission (LCPC) unanimously approved a proposed amendment to the Lake County Zoning Ordinance to add regulations for the cultivation of medicinal marijuana within the unincorporated area of Lake County.

According to Code Enforcement Division Director Richard Coel, the new ordinance "is necessary due to the interim ordinance not being able to deal with the environmental concerns and neighborhood concerns that people are experiencing throughout the county."

Included in the environmental and neighborhood concerns are criminal activity, burglaries, unpermitted terracing and grading to construct greenhouses.

The proposed ordinance will limit indoor cultivation to 100-square feet and restrict outdoor cultivation within community growth boundaries.

The proposed ordinance will also allow outdoor cultivation in limited amounts as long as the parcel is one acre or larger and outside of the community growth boundaries.

Collective or cooperative organizations will also be allowed to grow up to 48 mature plants as long as the property is at least 20 acres and located on an "A" agriculture zoned property.

The public commented extensively on the proposed ordinance.

"This proposal is total overkill," Ron Green said. "It is punishing everybody for the sins of the few."

Others disagreed.

"I think the ordinance is too generous," Janelle Schneider said. "This ordinance will give me fresh air and the ability to actually use my backyard."

The proposed ordinance will now go to the Lake County Board of Supervisors (BOS) for further discussion and approval or rejection.

"I understand that there are two sides to every story," Commissioner Bob Malley said. "And somewhere in the middle is the truth."

The commission also recommended that the BOS review and come up with a new dispensary ordinance "as part of the overall solution."

Prior to discussing the proposed ordinance, the LCPC unanimously agreed to the proposed installation of a ground mount photovoltaic array at the Clearlake Oaks County Water District's wastewater treatment facility. The installation will help offset the energy consumption of the entire facility according to the proposal.

J. W. Burch, IV is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636 ext. 14 or at jburch@record-bee.com.